Watch a Pro Video Editor Edit in Real Time (Sailing Scene)

Ever wish you could sit behind a pro editor and just watch them work? That’s exactly what this video is—a real-time editing session where I narrate my process as I build a simple scene using stunning sailing footage from Artlist (affiliate link).

In this edit, I’m assembling a short sequence for an upcoming exercise on music selection. But before we even touch music, it’s all about structure, emotion, and story. You’ll see how I pull selects, think about pacing, and use hotkeys to fly through the timeline. Everything I do is with intention—from the way I watch footage, to how I order shots, to how I choose my in/out points based on the action within a shot.

A few key takeaways:

• Stringouts are gold. I start by laying out all footage in a long sequence from which to freely pull.

• Selects on V2 = Visual memory. Pulling selects up a track helps me visually organize without relying on markers.

• Keyboard mapping matters. I explain how custom hotkeys speed up your workflow—and how to start building your own.

• Editing starts with feeling. I’m always asking, "What do I want the audience to feel right now?"

• Build first, polish later. I do a rough assembly before diving into sound design or detailed trims.

Along the way, I add placeholder SFX (e.g., waves, wind, birds) to begin shaping the emotional arc of the story. By the end, we have a solid 45-second sequence that’s ready for music.

This is exactly how I work on broadcast commercials, too, focusing on a simple story, clean rhythm, and clear emotion.